Her Choice
by FrozenInsanity
Summary: Claire chooses immortality over life, Myrnin over Shane. With the draug closing in and her new body to master, and two men taking her interest, what will she do? And how? Summary's a bit rusty, but please read and you won't be disappointed. MyrninXClaire.
1. Chapter 1

**Hola! OHMYGOSH, did you guys read Black Dawn? Amazing, right? Yes? Damn straight. Oh my gossssshhhhh. It's like, the best book, except for maybe 'Last Breath'.**

**Which is the exact book I'm basing this little fanfic on. It's MyrninXClaire, obviously, and it takes off from when Myrnin is saving Claire's soul - at the part of his offer. Disclaimer, duh. Everything belongs to Rachel Caine. Except maybe one or two characters I might create. Maybe. Enjoy! Oh, and, I won't update unless there's good feedback, of course. **

Chapter One - A Choice, Their Will.

Having Myrnin in her head was like being Alice down the rabbit hole. He sounded sane enough, but in the backround rushed images, feelings, an utterly mad jittering landscape of too much colour, too much pain, too much love, too much hunger, too much everything. This was what Myrnin _was_.

And he scared her, and charmed her, and made her want to cry.

The ice in her veins had something wonderful about it, because it felt like peace. Like stillness. Not like death, but with something of death in it, and something of life. It had the fierce, sharp clarity of eternity.

Her heart was struggling to keep beating against it, and the struggle hurt. Life hurt. Everything about it brought pain, even the best things.

_Then let go, _Myrnin whispered. _I'll catch you. But understand - you have to let go of everything when you fall. Even him._

Shane.

Shane, who was her sunlight even on the cloudiest days, who was her shield when nothing else was. Who could make her feel… So… Safe, when no one else could. And then there was Myrnin. Crazy, insane, eccentric, sweet, intelligent Myrnin who made her feel brilliant and bright, but also a little disturbed at the best of times. And also, if she may dare to think it, a _somebody_. But he was unstable, whereas Shane was a rock. _Her _rock.

God, what was she thinking? _Why _was she even contemplating being with Myrnin? She loved Shane! Shane loved her! There was no one else - nothing else for her, and no one else for him. _Nothing _else for him, and the deaths of Alyssa, his mother and his father proved that. And Myrnin, as charming and interesting as he was, was old and her boss.

Pain raked through her, and she felt something cold flush along her whole train of thought. _Claire? _said Myrnin's voice, a delicate, fragile whisper. He sounded hurt and confused, puzzled, all in that one word. Oh. Right. He could tell what she was thinking. _Claire, do hurry and decide, _he continued, _I can't… I can't keep my grip for much longer. _What did he mean, grip? On her? Or his sanity? All these questions flooded around her, and then in that lovely backround of colour that was Myrnin, she saw a flash. A flash of something cruel and dark and terrifying, and instantly, she flinched away from it and her mind receded from his, but only by a fraction. Myrnin's grip on her wrist loosened. _No! _she screamed and struggled to hold onto him frantically. _Don't let go of me, please! _She felt his fingers tighten, but his voice was absent.

She had to make her choice, and she had to make it now.

The cold was flooding through her now, coursing like a river with an insanely strong current, and she was being swept along with it. She knew she should have been crying, the pain was intense, only she couldn't. Her heart suddenly jumped wildly, and Claire knew her time was up. She was imprisoned, and the cage was her own body - her own mind.

The coldness sweeping through her now was so strong. She couldn't fight it… She was so tired. She didn't _want_ to fight it anymore, it was just… Surreal. She couldn't. She didn't have the will or the desire. And so, Claire let herself be swept into the cold iciness, of what she imagined was dark, murky water. Claire felt a sudden surge of _something _bright and proud brush against her mind. What was that? She wondered absently as, with a bright, perilous flash, she was drawn into something real.

And, God, it _hurt_.

Her eyes were the first things she was aware of, and with a strained effort, she opened them, the light of the living room chasing away all remainders of the ghostly shadows lurking in her mind. And, _whoa. _Everything had taken on HD, almost as if…as if nothing was really in front of her. She blinked, but nothing changed. The overhead light gently glided along everything - the smooth, precise lines of Michael's guitar case, the black frame of the TV, the coffee table - and it gave each thing it touched and illuminating glow. Gosh, it was so _weird. _

''Huh,'' she said softly, and her voice, to her ears, sounded scratchy and abused - like it hadn't been used in a while. She cleared her throat and winced.

Eve, her best friend stared at her, then shrieked and clasped her hands over her mouth. Eve's body was suddenly smothering her like a Gothic blanket, sobs vibrating her whole figure viciously. Claire weakly made an attempt to hug the bigger girl back, but failed miserably. Eve gained some self control, though, and fell back against the couch's thread-bare cushions, coughing and hiccupping. Claire smiled, a dainty quirk of her lips and heard a soft thump against the floor. She inclined her head sideways just as Myrnin sunk to the ground, his head down and his skin a deathly-looking shade of blue.

_Shane, _said a voice in Claire's head, and she looked around. Shane was staring at her from across the room, his eyes wide and his body language totally _wrong. _She made a move to get up, and suddenly, she was weightless - and then she was on her feet. _What the hell…? _She blinked, then, and Shane simply crumbled in on himself like a sugar cookie. He slumped back against the wall and Claire saw silver tears cascade from his eyes and leave wet trails along his face.

''Shane,'' she whispered, a hurt look adorning her face. She knew why he wasn't looking at her anymore, and she saw that fire burn in his eyes - a fire only ignited when he looked at _Michael. _Michael the _vampire. _

As her misery clashed with a roaring fury inside of her, a sweet, intoxicating scent drifted through the air to her nose. Her nostrils twitched, and her gaze landed on Shane again. It was coming from him, she knew it. Was it a new cologne? But… Shane hardly ever wore cologne, only on occasions, and it wasn't exactly the day to celebrate anything much less get all clean and dressed up.

No. No, it wasn't a cologne, and she knew that the second Myrnin's voice, dangerous and very, _very _commanding, said, ''Eve, dear, do help me up. I think the scent of his blood might be a bit provoking to young Claire's nose, given their relationship.''

But he hadn't spoken soon enough.

Claire hadn't even realised she was moving until suddenly she was and she could feel the heat emanate from Shane's skin, see the pupils of his eyes widen, her face inches from his. Her fingers were just reaching out for his hand when something slammed into her from the side and knocked her flying. She let out a yell, but in mid-air her body quickly adapted and suddenly, she was on her feet, a steady buzz in her head, a throbbing ache dully pulsating in her gums.

Myrnin was standing by Shane, and Eve was helping him up. ''Claire,'' snapped Myrnin with severe impatience, ''why are you attacking him? Of all people,'' he said, his tone then softening with genuine confusion, ''I thought he'd be the last. Certainly not the first to target your interest.''

Myrnin, Claire realised with startling observation, was extremely good-looking. Maybe it was simply the light, or that her eyes were so _precise _for the moment, but he really was. His shaggy hair wasn't the dark brown she'd always thought it was - it _was_ brown, but a chocolate kind of brown, streaked with black and faint gold, causing a slight shimmer, and it was slightly wild and disorderly at the moment. His eyes were big and a colour so dark, brown couldn't phrase it - maybe a colour between black and beige with golden lines rimming the pupils. Thick eyelashes, which she'd never realised. His skin was pale and smooth, but his face seemed haunted and generally focused at the moment with deep shadows she'd never noticed before. Still… He seemed so much more…_attractive _to her now.

Myrnin was really, really pretty.

Claire swallowed, and felt a tingle in the back of her throat. ''What do you mean?'' She snapped, and yet again, her voice sounded so different. Kind of high-pitched with fear and confusion, but with a smooth pronunciation of her words, and as light as wind chimes. It startled her, and she cocked her head, waiting for an answer. Myrnin's face brightened considerably as he tilted his face upwards, and straightened his lean, graceful body. His expression, though, was hollow and miserable.

''My dear girl, you realise… You realise what you've done? What you accepted?''

That's when Shane moved. He stepped out from behind Myrnin and away from Eve's grasp, but his movements were slow and jerky, uncontrolled, like he'd been utterly shattered, and couldn't find the will to repair himself. He turned and faced Claire who suddenly felt cornered and alone. And his expression broke her heart all over again. His sweet, usually light-filled eyes were dark and terrorised now, and his face was chalk-pale, drawn, and his lips were tight. His gaze met Claire's, and he had to blink, as though looking at her was repulsing.

''Why?'' was all he said, and his voice sounded so…accusing. Accusing and lonely. ''Why would you do that to me, Claire?'' he asked, sounding so hurt and so baffled.

''Do what?'' She asked desperately. But she knew.

She'd chosen to become one of _them_, instead of choosing to live. She'd become his worst enemy; a vampire. And Shane knew that, too, and God, he _hated _her for it.

''Become one of them, Claire! Jesus, what possessed you to _do _that?'' he raged, and a black fury that had so long been coiled in him sprung, and it went wild. ''Was it you?'' He snarled, turning on Myrnin, who simply raised both of his hands. ''I gave her the choice, I didn't force her to do it,'' he said reasonably, then shot Claire an _oh-sorry-I-shouldn't-have-said-that _look. Claire hated him a little bit just then.

''So, Claire, you've been planning this a while, huh? I should have seen it coming. You two were cosying it up, weren't you? All along? Behind my back? 'Sorry, Shane, Nutty McFang needs me in the lab!' Oh!'' He then exclaimed as though something had just dawned on him, through his crude impersonation of her. Claire shuddered, waiting for the impact. ''_That's _why you went to kill me.''

Bleak horror crossed Myrnin's face. Claire mirrored it. _''God, _Shane, _no_! Why would you even think that?'' she cried, her body trembling weakly and tears pooled into her eyes, but she didn't let them flow. She felt her heart shatter into pieces - pieces so severe that even if she attempted to pick them up, she'd slice her fingers to shreds. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and stared at Shane it boiling fury.

''Why _are you defending him, Claire_?'' Shane roared, and she'd never seen that fury in him before. _Never._

And then he was silent, simply staring at her in drowning anguish and terror and sadness and betrayal - a flurry of emotions she couldn't read, as well. Bottom line, he was hurting, and so was she. After another moment or two, Myrnin began to go about gathering his things, moving away from Shane and Eve.

_Eve. _

She was standing there, as silent as stone, as though unsure how to react at the tension. Claire looked helplessly at her, then Eve advanced towards her. Claire prepared for the sting of a slap, of anything, and was sincerely shocked when Eve enveloped her in another hug. ''You _cow,_'' she breathed into Claire's ear. ''I'm so jealous! Not. Just… Leave him to cool off. And… Watch yourself. I love you, CB.''

Claire simply sagged against Eve it utmost relief, wet clothes or not. Hearing that, it made everything seem not so bad. Eve withdrew from the hug with tearing-up eyes, and nodded to Claire. ''Don't do anything I wouldn't,'' she said with a wicked twinkle in her eye, then suddenly, the tears left wet, dirty streaks in her rice-powder make-up. ''Michael. Please… If you can convince someone to find him…'' Eve didn't finish, and Claire was gob smacked.

''Obviously,'' she breathed softly. ''And I'll call you straight away, so, keep your cell phone on you.''

Eve nodded, just as Myrnin came to stand next to Claire. ''I believe I'll need to see she's looked after,'' he said grimly, and stooped down to take Eve's pale, cold hand and kiss it softly. ''My thanks, young lady. Also, see if you could tend to him,'' said Myrnin, his dark eyes raised, looking over Eve's shoulder. He was looking at Shane. Eve looked back at him, then nodded solemnly.

Claire didn't look. She couldn't. She didn't want to see his eyes so angry, or his face so drawn. She couldn't bear it. Silently, she turned away from them and stared at the blank living room wall. She heard Eve's thick-soled, heavy boots clump away from them, and then the shuffle of Shane's bare feet on the wood. The smell of his blood drifted away from Claire's nose, and she let the tension drain from her body as she heard the kitchen door scrape open, then swing shut.

Suddenly, the portal opened up and Claire looked up, to see Myrnin standing behind her, staring at her with an intense expression - something between sorrow and a confusing love, and pride. She felt the weight of his hand on her shoulder, and the tears she'd been storing in her eyes broke free as she stepped through the portal into the mad hatter's lair.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: to those of you that read, and didn't review - YOU ARE A CRUEL RACE OF BEINGS. That is all. **

**P.S.**

**I've noticed not from my own stories (obviously), but from the reading of others, that there's a high number of people rooting for MyrninXClaire! That's seriously pleasing, and maybe, for all of us hopeful and faithful readers, Rachel might decide to indulge us? I don't know. I hope so. I really hope so… :'c **

**Anyway, enjoy mes amies! And, any ideas for a different title? PM me with them, please, or leave a review. Love you! C:**

Chapter Two - Adapting.

When Claire stepped into Myrnin's lab, the state of the place momentarily threw her emotions aside. ''Myrnin!'' She snapped, whirling on him with a speed that dizzied her. He rose his eyebrows as he let the portal snap shut. ''What have I told you about keeping the lab tidy?'' she muttered to him, as she swayed slightly. And then, Claire felt Myrnin's arms close around her. Not in an _I'm-going-to-snack-on-you _way, but in a sort of comforting way. And the overwhelming need to panic and struggle didn't come over Claire at all - she felt… Serene, like that. Calm and comfortable in that hug. She didn't return it, but she let him hold her. Her balance wasn't right, after all.

After a moment or so, he stepped away from her, so many emotions passing on his face; she couldn't tell which he really felt at the moment. Maybe all of them. Maybe none. It was hard to tell with him. ''Normally, yes, I keep it in a fairly orderly state,'' he said, turning away from her to look at the wall, ''but it seems the need to be tidy has passed, and we are…moving on. From here. Tonight, Claire.''

She paused, and froze. ''What?''

''Yes. Perhaps I should have told you to fetch your things from your home moments ago. Ah well, far too late for that now, far too late.'' Myrnin babbled on, which posed him as nervous. And when Myrnin was nervous, so was Claire, usually. His mind came out of order completely and he began to frighten her. Usually she'd take off home. But she couldn't, if that happened now. She couldn't bear to face Shane.

_Shane. _

Tears broke free again, and she collapsed. Just tumbled to the floor as her knees gave out, and lay there, sobbing pitifully like the child she was. Colliding with the tiled floor should have hurt, only it didn't. Oh, God, she missed him. Not physically - mentally, though. He'd left her, and he wasn't ever coming back. This wouldn't be like with Michael, no, this would be entirely different. If she had been Alyssa, he'd be distraught for a while, but then he'd have been okay because, well, unconditional love. Family. With Claire… He'd hate her till the day she died, and even then, he'd dance on her grave. _No, he wouldn't, _scoffed the demon in her, _you're going to outlive him by centuries. _

That let another torrent of sobs rack her frail body, and her soft, brown-turning-red hair fell over her face. She wasn't even aware that Myrnin was crouched on the floor next to her until she heard soft, shushing noises. Her eyes flickered open and she saw his languid, graceful body settled in a crouch next to her. He leaned forward, his fingers outstretched for her face when his eyes widened slightly, and he drew back. He lifted his other hand up, and a tiny blot of too-pale blood bubbled up on his finger, then proceeding to run along his skin in a small, tiny stream. Claire sat up immediately, and glanced at the source of the tiny wound - which had, of course, all ready healed. Oh. A small shard of broken glassware.

But Claire wasn't at all focused on that. Her eyes were set on Myrnin's hand, his finger, and the small dribble of blood. The smell hit her almost as fast as the hunger. Myrnin's blood smelled so much different to Shane's - his had smelled heady and fresh, kind of like how hot sauce smelled. Myrnin's though, had a metallic kind of aroma to it, but it smelt sweet. And it made Claire's mouth water. The ache in her gums returned, until something slid out of them and the pain was gone. Relief. Her expression must have alarmed Myrnin, because he made a move to get up.

Claire latched onto his wrist with urgency, and her voice, so soft and sweet and persuading said, ''No, wait. Don't.'' And just like that, Myrnin's body slumped back to the floor, his face contorted into an expression of unwilling longing. Claire's hand slowly slid along Myrnin's, her fingers intertwining with his, before her other hand reached up and took a gentle hold of Myrnin's long, slim finger. Her body moved like liquid onto her knees, and she was leaning over Myrnin who was sitting, but almost leaning back.

And then, Claire's tongue gently flicked out against the pale skin of Myrnin's finger. Her tongue lapped at the blood, which was gone almost instantly seeing as there was only a drop of it really, but she didn't stop there. The residue of his delectable blood remained and she gently took the tip of his index finger into her mouth. His whole body tensed, shuddered, then a frustrated growl vibrated in his throat. ''Claire,'' he said. She blinked lazily at him - she'd never before heard that husky tone take to his voice before. ''Claire, wait.''

She drew away from his finger, but only a fraction. Her eyes fixated on the pale blue vein jutting out from the side of his throat. That. That held a lot more blood than what she'd tasted, and her stomach grumbled in agreement. Her body glided effortlessly along Myrnin's, and she heard him take in an unnecessary breath. He dropped back, leaning onto his elbows, and heard him mutter something in a tone of utter helplessness; in surrender. Claire wasn't interested, though, only in the vein protruding so tauntingly from his throat. Her hands grabbed onto both his wrists and pinned them against the tiled floor and her mouth then nuzzled at Myrnin's throat.

''Enough!''

Suddenly, the world wobbled off its axis a moment. Claire's body was clenched in Myrnin's grip, and he was moving. She was no longer on top of him, and she knew that because her head slammed against the tiled floor; hard enough to leave stars in her vision. She blinked and Myrnin's darkly glowing crimson eyes flashed into her line of sight. She flinched and tried to squirm away. But she couldn't, no way in hell - Myrnin had her arms pinned at her sides, and his legs on either side of hers. And he was so _strong. _Somehow, she'd always known that, but as a human, he'd been careful with her.

Most of the time.

''What the hell, Myrnin? Get off of me!''

''Why should I?'' He snarled. His skin had taken a slight flush, and he was trembling with an overload of pleasure and too many emotions he didn't know how to handle. Violence, it would seem, Claire supposed. It was always the easiest to let loose, for him - to just let that demon roar. Or so she'd come to understand, through Shane mostly. Her heart swelled, and she swallowed a sob. She wouldn't cry, not in this position. Not… Underneath Myrnin. He opened his mouth to speak again, and Claire saw fangs. ''You attacked me,'' he breathed and Claire took on an expression of outrage.

''I did _not_! I wanted -''

She froze, closed her eyes, and plunged on, ''I wanted you. Well. No. Your blood, to be exact.'' Silence. An unnerving, tense silence, that neither of them seemed to know how to handle. Myrnin's body was tense again above her, and Claire felt weak and fragile. No way she could throw him off, and she wasn't about to try.

She lay there, watching him intently. He inhaled a breath - why did he keep doing that? He didn't even _need _to breathe - and took one hand away from her arm. She wriggled her fingers slightly, flexing them gently. And then, before she could snap a protest, Myrnin slashed a deep line across his throat with his iron-sharp nails. His warm-ish blood spattered onto Claire's face. She let out a startled shriek, and Myrnin's thick eyebrows rose in question.

''What?'' he asked, as though he'd simply poked a bruise. Typical Myrnin.

_Pain. One learns to ignore it, eventually. _

He'd told her that, once. She couldn't imagine it, though, and shuddered as she watched the wound heal. She shook her head weakly and swallowed thickly, licking her lips nervously. Oh. His blood had drizzled onto her lips.

''No, Myrnin. I - I can't do that. So… Get off.''

He stared at her, then, with a slight pink flush high in his cheekbones, he got up in a movement so fluid, so liquid, she'd nearly missed it - even though she shared similar reflexes. ''As you wish, Claire,'' he said with that fake politeness in his tone that he used to mask what he actually felt, and offered a hand to her. She got up without it, feeling shaky and weak. He took brisk steps away from her, towards the stack of blood-bank coolers he always kept for some reason. Claire was sure the majority of them were empty.

Claire stared around the lab feeling more out of place than ever. She shivered slightly, and looked down at her clothes. Damp? Why were they damp? Oh, right - these were the clothes she'd been murdered in. She picked in complete distaste at them, wishing for her own wardrobe because, _really_, the only person she actually knew that would willingly wear Myrnin's clothes was Eve. She sniffed miserably. Eve. Someone who could always brighten her day.

''Is there a preference in blood for your pallet, Claire?'' asked Myrnin from across the lab.

''Ugh. No.''

''Type O it is, then.''

How odd, to have a conversation about blood. Not quite that weird, actually, she contradicted herself, not with Myrnin it wasn't. She walked over to the steel door that had been locked with a padlock and fussed with it for a moment before crying out in frustration. She knew Myrnin's bed - wait, no, '_cot'_ - was in there, and she was so _tired. _She let out a defeated sigh and pressed her forehead to the cool surface.

So, this is what it was like for Michael.

Did it get any better?

Probably not, she thought sadly. ''Here you go, dear, I even warmed it up for you,'' said Myrnin from behind her and she whirled on her heel. In his outstretched hand, he held a proper ceramic cup that looked suspiciously like the ones from Common Grounds, and offered it towards her. She stared at it, and the red, sloshing liquid inside.

''I don't want it.''

Claire actually had to blink at her tone - when had she ever sounded like that? So disgusted? Well, maybe when Myrnin had cooed over Bob and she'd mocked him, or something along those lines, but no - she'd certainly never done it so defiantly towards him. She wouldn't have dared.

''Now, now, Claire. Whether you want it concerns me not - you need it. And I refuse to have a repeat of, well, _that, _later on_._'' Claire could have snorted at the innocent way he'd phrased it, and the awkward aversion of eye contact, and - was that a _blush _she saw in his cheeks? Oh, God, definitely funny. Should she laugh? No. But she did let out an amused snort, which he promptly ignored. ''So, take it,'' he said to her in an unusual brisk tone that made Claire reflectively take it from his hands. ''And you're making it smell damp in here - go on, go change.''

She narrowed her gaze and scowled at him as his hands fluttered in an impatient shooing gesture. Then she rose her eyebrows.

''Myrnin, I don't actually _know _where you keep your trove of clothes.''

Without a word, he took her hand and unlocked the padlock on the steel door, shoving it open with a push of his finger - and she'd by lying if she said it didn't impress her - and politely nudged her inside. Well, his cot certainly looked slept in; the sheets were torn and tattered, and the pillow looked slightly abused. Ah, so, Myrnin had nightmares, too.

Strange how she though that wasn't, well, relevant to vampires. The whole matter of dreaming, that is - or at least she _hoped _he'd been dreaming. Claire had never seen Myrnin with female company other than Amelie, but that didn't mean he didn't get it.

Hadn't there been brothels before he'd gotten with Ada?

She shuddered slightly, but it also intrigued her in the most unusual away. Would he be gentle like Shane, or perhaps just as animal as he was when he got in a mood? To slash his sheets like that, she was leaning more towards the aggressive-sex type. Claire caught herself just before the images started and stared at Myrnin with wide eyes. He looked back at her, seeming slightly harassed and exhausted. She wondered when he'd last slept, really slept.

''Why are you looking at me like that?'' he asked, and there was something of vulnerability in his voice.

''I just wondered, the sheets - on your bed,'' she said, stumbling slightly. He threw a glance towards the cot. Claire couldn't see his expression, but when he turned back towards her, he seemed completely calm. Except for his eyes. There was something not quite right about them.

''I had an incident. Seemingly, I have been dreaming -''

He stopped, abruptly, as though he was shocked with himself. His head dropped slightly. ''I dreamed about Ada. Not a dream, more of a nightmare.''

That, surprisingly, had no effect on Claire. She knew he cared for her. ''Was it that awful?''

''Not quite. Not for the first part, anyway. It was like…I was reliving what happened when she was quite ill - the machine, I mean. When she put me in those silver chains.'' A shudder passed through his body, and suddenly, Claire felt a stab of empathy for Myrnin. But he continued, his eyes haunted and tortured, ''But that wasn't even the worst of it, you see.''

''Then - that pain, it wasn't what caused you to shred the sheets?''

''No. When she put me in those silver chains, and threw you into me like a piece of meat.''

Claire was silent. Her brain whirred incredibly fast, everything she thought of to say dying on her lips. She tightened her grip on the warm, white cup, careful not to spill its contents.

''Ada suspected I cared for you, more than I proclaimed I did. Said I was developing feelings for you,'' he said, nearly muttering it and led her towards a massive pile of clothes that hadn't been there when she'd slept here before. Myrnin let her hand drop, and walked back to the door to go back into the main body of the lab. He paused at the door, though, and without turning to face her, said softly as an afterthought, ''I believe she was quite right.''


	3. Chapter 3

**Hallo! Hurhurhurhur. Myrnin's female friends. OOOOOH. That's kind of, well, hot, to be honest. Hands up if you'd like to be in Myrnin's bed?**

**LOL. I would. And anyway, it's quite clear we've got a little something developing here, isn't it? If you can't see it, this chapter will definitely make you aware to it. Kawaii-desu, ne? Yeah. I tend to babble.**

**I don't think I ever have anything useful, or relevant in these notes. I used to. Not anymore. My God, I'm becoming another Myrnin D: lacking the good looks (or so I imagine), the tallness and witty brains, of course. **

**Okay. Done. ONWARDS!**

Chapter Three - Maybe, Something.

_I believe she was quite right. _

What did that mean? God, Myrnin had feelings for her?

It didn't shock her as much as it should have, though, and that most of all is what worried Claire. She didn't return those feelings - or so she thought. Claire dragged her feet over to the cot and sat down on it, heavily, a few drops of blood from the cup splashing over the sides and landing on the white sheets, staining the clean fabric a lush crimson.

_Said I was developing feelings for you. I believe she was quite right._

Myrnin's sad, distant tone whirred in her head, the words repeating themselves over and over. She'd never heard him sound so conflicted, and hoped she'd never have to hear that again. It was awful - not simply that, but that tone had brought her back three years ago; when Myrnin had most definitely been on the crazy train, and had often frightened Claire out of her wits. How, she asked herself, had she come to care for him so deeply?

True, he'd betrayed her to Bishop; broken her trust in him - but he'd also saved her. And he amused her, and charmed her, and did everything in his power to see she was safe.

Most of the time, but not always.

And that brought her back once again to how she cared for him. What did she feel? Nothing like she felt for Shane, there was no way she'd love him like that. But he was possibly her greatest friend, under Eve and Michael. He was, bottom line, quite amazing. And maybe, deep down, she felt a little _too _close to him. She sighed and closed her eyes. There had been so many signs leading to this - when he'd held her close for a moment too long, or those glances of longing she never really understood, or _even _when he became a little jealous over Shane. How hadn't she seen this coming?

She'd been too starry-eyed about Shane. Duh. But that wasn't the problem now, no, and she scolded herself for thinking such things at an incredibly bad time. Myrnin had told her to pack. Why? Claire placed the cup aside, on the floor, and was just about to get up and go out to ask. Then she paused. Across the room, on a shelf that probably held about two centimetres of dust as well, a gleam of silver caught her eye. Why did Myrnin have silver? She immediately got up and went to investigate. It was only a tiny little thing, whatever it was, and just as her fingers touched it - the burning started.

Claire snatched her fingers back and went wide-eyed trying to contain a scream of anguish and shock. The ornament - she assumed - rolled off of the shelf and landed on the floor, bounced, and tumbled away from her, coming to a standstill a few inches away from her sneakered foot. _Damn, _she thought, _I can't forget… I can't forget I'm different now. That hurt._

She bent, and examined it, and felt her heart swell.

It was Alyssa's claddagh ring. The one Shane had given her. But Myrnin had it - why? Then again, he'd kept Ada's locket, too.

_Ada's locket. My ring. _

''_He's a sentimental old fool.'' _

Oh, God, no. No. This couldn't be happening. She used her toe to nudge it away from her, then covered her fingers with the cloth of her shirt and picked it up. It glimmered softly in the light, the red gem taunting her innocently. He'd kept her ring, but… When had she lost that? Without continuing her thoughts, Claire tossed the ring back up onto the shelf and left it there, seeing as she couldn't actually wear it anymore. Oh, well. She'd get it enclosed in another metal, maybe, if she came back to the lab ever again.

Cautiously, she sauntered towards the mountain of clothes Myrnin had gathered. She folded from her hips slightly, and began to examine the articles of clothing. Some looked tattered and ratty, others dirty, and some downright filthy. She muttered incoherent things about Myrnin's hygiene beneath her breath as she picked with her nose wrinkled through the fabrics. Finally, she found something she could actually picture herself wearing. A few things, actually, though they weren't female clothing.

A pair of black dress pants that looked quite short - they'd fit her - and a white men's shirt, also too small for Myrnin's lanky frame. And then, oh - a long, black velvet coat tumbled out of the pile, and she picked it up. Myrnin's scent enveloped her, and her eyebrows inched up. The trench coat was clean, at least, but he'd worn it recently. She, without thinking, buried her nose in the soft fabric of the coat and inhaled, her heart jumping slightly.

Whoa, okay. Not weird. Claire, completely embarrassed even though no one had witnessed it, gathered the clothes under her arm, and stood up, straight-backed. No clean underwear. _Great_, she thought sourly. She bit her lip and began to quickly throw off her damp, foul-smelling clothes and discarded them in a heap all on their own on the floor. She took off her socks and kicked off her shoes with great disregard for anything they hit and pulled on the new pants quickly. They were kind of a tight fit - they clung to her legs like a second skin. Uh - okay, they looked good, she wasn't going to lie. She wriggled out of her top, wondering where Myrnin actually _found _these clothes.

''Claire, honestly, how long does it -''

Claire squealed in outright horror when Myrnin's body slithered into the room. He went wide-eyed as she snatched up a shirt to cover herself, and swivelled on his heel, escaping out the door just as she flung one of her shoes where his head would have been. ''Pervert!'' She yelled, her tone sounding harsh and accusing. ''Why didn't you _knock_?'' she demanded loudly, pulling the shirt on and buttoning it up with quick fingers. She felt a blush burning its crimson onto her pale cheeks with no mercy.

Myrnin had just seen her half naked. He'd seen her in her _bra._

''Because it's my room!'' He called back rather like a whiney child. Yep, she could hear the embarrassment in his voice as clear as day. And then, there was more shuffling, and he said no more. _Good, _she mentally spat, _peeping tom. _

Claire picked up the coat, and stared at it mournfully. It wasn't one of Shane's slacker shirts. It was an elegant piece of material that smelled really _nice. _And, it looked pretty cool, as far as heavy velvet went. She bit her lip and pulled it on, feeling like a child playing dress-up all of a sudden, and went out into the main body of the lab.

_Myrnin's POV. _

I glanced around my lab that had been my home for so many years with a feeling of loss and regret. I knew, deeply in my heart and soul, that I would come to miss this place more than any of the other buildings I'd long before inhabited. My laboratory had so much character, it could very well be its own person. I blinked. Well, if it wasn't a building, I'm sure. I began to pace, then, frightfully fast and I wouldn't be surprised if my feet had left indentations in the tiles. Amelie wanted to run, and run tonight. I glanced towards the suitcase I'd been preparing before that imbecile _Shane _came blundering in.

I winced.

With a quick glance to where he'd come to make his final stand (quite literally, seeing as his knees didn't hold for long), I felt the emotions wash over me again only this time, they were ten times stronger. Loss. Love. Pity. Depression. Fury. And a sadness so consuming, it nearly suffocated my ability to think - to feel anything more than _it_. That was worrying. I can't remember a time I'd felt like that. Not even when Ada had become…obsolete. Broken beyond repair.

I glanced back towards the room Claire was currently in, changing - or so I'd told her to. That girl rarely listened to me lately. With three strides, I slipped into the room and in my best impatient tone, I said, ''Claire, honestly, how long does it -''

I stopped then, and the words hitched and died in my throat. Claire stood in the middle of the room, only… there was quite a bit of her revealed I hadn't seen before. Her slim face, framed by unruly reddish locks, held an expression of horror and a blush began to work itself onto her face. My eyes grazed along her slim throat, the hollow of her neck and then - then; to her chest, or more specifically, her breasts. She wore what I think women call these days a _bra_, made from soft, pastel pink and satin and lace. She held a white shirt I was quite sure wasn't mine in her hand, and with a vampire reflex, took hold of one of her shoes on the ground.

Immediately, I turned on my heel, and fled the room. I heard her accusing cry of, ''Pervert! Why didn't you _knock_?''

The nerve of her! ''Because it's my room!'' I snapped back, sounding slightly baffled and childish. I felt a steady pulse thrum through my whole body, particularly in my groin. I winced slightly, though the feeling was not… Unwelcome. Still, the image of her acres of soft, pale skin distracted me from a train of thought. ''Stupid, stupid,'' I muttered to myself and began to pace again. I inhaled an unnecessary breath and began flinging things into my suitcase once again, my heart no longer in choosing what went into it.

And then, Claire emerged. She stood straighter than before, with a cool air surrounding her. She was dressed as I imagine Oliver would on a regular basis, only - oh. On her thin frame was my long, velvet coat, and she carried my scent quite clearly. Not only had she my bite on her, she also carried my scent.

Amelie would _not _be happy with me.

I froze.

Amelie also didn't know I'd turned Claire. Oh, what a wonderful conversation we'd have later on. _If _there would be a later on.

_Claire's POV._

''Shoes.''

''Pardon me?'' asked Myrnin, seeming a little more confused than usual.

''Shoes,'' she repeated, and pointed to her small, pale feet. ''I don't have any spares with me.''

Myrnin snorted. _Snorted. _''Child, my shoes would be far too big for you. I have flip-flops, though,'' he said cheerfully, which made Claire instinctively roll her eyes.

''I don't like flip-flops. Don't you have, I don't know, boots?'' she asked desperately.

''You could go barefoot,'' he suggested, but went rummaging for her request anyway. She licked her lips, and glanced around the lab. Now, she felt more at home, but still her heart longed for the Glass House. All she wanted to do was curl up in her warm, big bed - alone. And sleep, for days. Apparently, Myrnin had other things on his mind.

Eventually, he found a pair of knee-high leather boots and threw them at her quite hard. Claire only just about managed to catch them. She bent down and pulled each one on. They fitted smoothly over the pants, but they were, in all truth, a bit big. Better than nothing, she told herself, and straightened up.

'''K, now that I'm dressed - what are you planning on doing?''

''Running.''

''_Myrnin_.''

''Oh, young Claire! You do know me too well, I believe,'' he said with a sigh finishing his sentence dramatically. ''I plan on bringing down Magnus's forces tonight - '' he pulled out a gun; more specifically, a paintball gun, '' - and hopefully, it'll drive him away from here.''

''You - wait, is that a paintball gun?''

He looked wounded. ''No. Well, initially, maybe it was. It's a shotgun with compressed silver pellets that when fired, disperse silver through the air in large quantities - dangerous to vampires, humans - if inhaled, and draug.'' He beamed at her, like he'd accomplished something huge. Maybe he had, but Claire felt something surge through her that was a lot like panic.

''But, Myrnin - that's insane! You _can't_! You're one against hundreds! There's no chance there will be a positive outcome for any of us! For you!'' Yep. Definitely panic.

He smiled at her, but it was small and looked fragile around the edges.

''Now, now, you honestly think I'm that crazy to go alone?''

_Yes. _''Well, maybe not.''

''Exactly! So, arm yourself with two more of these,'' he said, indicating to the gun in his hands, ''and we'll be off.''

''To _where_?'' she asked in disbelief. She couldn't believe she was getting into one of Myrnin's insane schemes again, but obediently grabbed up two more. They weren't heavy at all, though she knew they should have been.

''Morganville Civic Pool!''

Claire dreaded the cheerful tone undertaking his voice, but followed him up the steps out of the lab with a horrid, squirming feeling pool in her stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all dearly for the reviews and views! They really encourage me to keep this going. Besides the joy of writing, of course. So I've been thinking, I really don't want to go through with the original storyline Rachel wrote - you know, where Myrnin, Amelie and Claire and co go to the pool and there's all the drama with Michael attacking Eve? (Spoiler? LOL.) Yes, I don't think I'm going to continue that because I really have something else in mind. I hope you'll love it all the same, though.**

**AND ALSO, it's come to my attention from a review that there's a slight bit of confusion as to where I'd started on Chapter One. I've read Black Dawn, but I'm basing **_**my **_**story on a scene from Last Breath. Then, it's completely my own story line. Kind of. **

_**Disclaimer. **_

**P.S; I apologise for the delay. I've been quite busy. **

Chapter Four - Bang, Bang, Bloody Bang.

Claire followed Myrnin through the wet streets of Morganville in the gloom of the evening. Shadows lurked at every corner, and the rain poured down like a silver sheet on top of them both, soaking them through. There wasn't any draug in the rain Myrnin assured her, and she didn't feel any sting from it like he said she should. It was just rain.

For now.

She looked around in utter disgust. Morganville was always a dusty, blazing-hot town, bone dry and sun faded. It now looked drenched and muddy and washed-out; ugly. At least the sun had made some things gleam. This was horrible, she thought sadly. Water from her hair which was now plastered to her forehead dripped into her eyes, clinging to her eyelashes and blurring her vision every time she blinked. Ew. She didn't like the rain anymore, not in severe downpours like this.

''Do keep up Claire, and avoid the puddles. Draug cannot travel fair in rain as it's too wide a spread for them, but they can gather in bodies of water.''

Myrnin's voice was muffled, but she heard him loud and clear. She trudged along, burdened with the guns. Why couldn't they, well, use vamp speed to get there? Wouldn't that be easier? ''Myrnin,'' she called, shuddering as some of the rain water splashed into her mouth. He turned his head slightly. ''Why don't we run there?''

''We have to make a quick stop,'' he shouted back. ''_Keep up._''

She hadn't even realised she'd been walking slower than usual - even slower than human pace. It annoyed her, and she picked up her feet, lengthening her strides to walk side-by-side with Myrnin. He glanced down at her, but it was a moment too long to be just a look of acknowledgement. He just looked away as she said, ''What? Do I have something on my face?''

''No. It's… Don't mind me.''

He brushed it off, and Claire knew she wasn't going to get any more out of him. It chilled her slightly, to be stared at like that. People just didn't look at her that way. Laws of nature - they just didn't, and that's the way it was. It made her slightly uncomfortable that it was changing now. She looked up at him, then, and it startled her. Myrnin's glossy black hair was completely straight and silken, and his clothes clung to him, emphasising his solid muscles that moved then he walked. Weird, seeing Myrnin wet.

''Ah, left here, Claire.''

She pursed her lips, and did as he said, then realising where they were going. Founder's Square. But… Why? She frowned a little, then fell behind a little and let Myrnin lead the way. Claire glanced around then as they advanced onto one of the main roads that led into the Square, and saw clusters of people standing around looking miserable. Some were vamps she'd never seen before.

Then, she walked into something solid, and made a little startled grunt in the back of her throat. She took a step back, and saw it was Myrnin. He made a little 'follow me' gesture, into the shade of shadows. Claire peeked around him, and her eyes widened.

Eve and Shane were standing in front of Amelie, both of them looking strained and desperate and angry. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but it must have been intense. ''What are you doing?'' whispered Claire. ''Observing.'' Was the hushed reply. All of a sudden, Amelie sat down looking very small, and very defeated. Eve and Shane began to walk away, and just as they were about ten feet away, Amelie said something else in a quiet voice that made both her friends turn back around. Myrnin smiled very slightly, and took a hold of Claire's arm, dragging her along with him out of the shadows. She didn't protest.

Amelie looked up, eyes wide and startled. Then her gaze settled on the two of them and Claire felt naked all of a sudden because that gaze quickly took form of a glare. Her cool, grey eyes scanned Claire, assessing her, and she slowly stood up. Eve and Shane whipped around, and Amelie put out a hand to silence them. They said nothing.

''Myrnin, Claire. How very pleasant to see you both,'' she said in that voice that told Claire she obviously didn't mean it. A shudder ran through Claire's body as she sensed the stiffness coming from Myrnin's. It worried her slightly. ''Myrnin. What is the meaning of this?'' asked Amelie in the same tone she'd used before. Myrnin stepped away with the grace of a vampire, not a clumsy kind of awkwardness he sometimes had that could almost convince her he was human.

''My dear, it is what it seems. I believe you know I'd only have done it if there was no alternative,'' he said very quietly.

''I do hope there wasn't. I pity you, dear fool.''

''You wound me,'' he replied in that same voice, full of too many emotions no one could even distantly comprehend. Claire shifted - should she talk in her defence? Or should she stay quiet like a good little girl? Well, she considered both reasonably, and concluded she wasn't really a good little girl. ''Amelie,'' she spoke up and the older woman looked at her with a clear, cool expression; as if daring Claire to carry on. ''Myrnin had to do it. Otherwise…'' _Otherwise I'd be dead. _She shuddered again, more so from remembering the feel of Magnus's hands around her throat than the cold.

''Oh, it's understandable, and actually, it's quite convenient. It was always going to happen, but you see, it's not so convenient at the moment.''

Amelie looked mournful, only barely, but she held her head high.

''What do you mean?'' asked Claire, baffled.

''The draug, and a new, weak vampire. How do you think that will play out?'' said Amelie very coldly, but Claire saw the reason in her voice. Yeah, bad timing. Claire shuffled her feet awkwardly, and felt Shane's gaze burn daggers through her body. God, she screwed them up bad - he'd never talk to her again, let alone take her back. She felt a surge of something shatter her heart, and it hurt, but now was not the time to show weakness. Not in front of Amelie. ''What do we do?'' she asked.

''Do not bother me with trivia you know the answer to, Claire. We run, or we fight. Run is most logical, but now, I cannot. I owe you all something; to stand and fight for your homes, for my home.'' She inhaled a breath. ''We will defend Morganville at all costs. We _must hold. _You understand?''

Claire was shuddering violently now. It wasn't cold, not really, but Amelie's eyes and tone set shivers scaffolding her spine and prickling her skin. It was awful, but it was good, too, she supposed. Finally, Amelie was defending something worth defending. _''Amelie is not a brave woman; if the odds are against her, she will surrender.'' _Claire remembered Myrnin telling her that - when Bishop had come to visit. But to see Amelie gather courage now, it was really impressive, Claire wasn't going to lie.

''Yeah,'' said Claire, and nodded her head once. Something clicked in the back of her neck, and she felt relief spread along the stiff bones there. ''Myrnin gave me these,'' she continued, gesturing at the guns, ''And said we're going to the Civic Pool.''

Claire risked a look at Myrnin - and felt something flutter inside of her. His huge, liquid eyes were as black as the night now, with a fierce glow burning within them, and his hair was dripping wet. His clothes clung to his figure, enhancing his sculpted body, and Claire felt a blush work its way onto her cheeks with merciless heat. She looked away quickly, and saw Amelie observing her with a knowing expression. It gave Claire the creeps, and sent shivers racing up and down her spine - along with the cold rainwater.

''Yes. I believe that would be the most logical place to begin our quest. Claire, if you would,'' said Amelie, walking towards her with her hands held out. Claire passed her one of the shotguns, and Myrnin threw a belt of extra rounds to her, too. She caught both single-handedly and adjusted them onto her body. Myrnin threw a belt at Claire, too, and she caught it, then fastened it so it hung on her hips. In her mind, she thought she looked completely badass, but was pretty sure she didn't look that way really. Still, the thought was nice.

Eve and Shane hung back, and talked in low, hushed tones. Claire cleared her throat, and they both looked up guiltily. ''What?'' asked Claire, but she didn't expect an answer - not from Shane, anyway. ''We're going, too,'' said Eve defiantly. ''We saw them in - in the pool. They're anchored down in the water.'' Tears, gleaming, welled up in Eve's brown eyes and she wiped them away fiercely, along with whatever was left of her makeup. ''That's my boyfriend, in that pool. So let's get those bastards.''

Eve was dressed for ass-kicking, too. Her clothes were drenched, but her thick-soled stompy boots glinted with the wetness, and her black jeans clung to her legs, giving her the badass look. She pulled it off way better than Claire. Shane and Eve began hurrying after them when Claire waved them on, and they tagged along at a queer distance behind Myrnin and Amelie.

Minutes later, they'd pulled to a stop alongside the curb of the pool in the Morganville Bloodmobile. Claire hated this thing - it was huge, awkward, and smelled too sterile, like a doctors office, or even the dentist's waiting room. It freaked her out, and brought back a whole load of memories of awkward braces, but she sucked it up and sat quiet and still in the seats in the back. She sat next to Eve, and Shane sat across from them on the opposite bench. He kept his gaze down, boring holes into the steel floor. She hated this, hated him for hating her. _God, _the ache in her chest refused to subside when she threw a glance in his direction.

Myrnin looked back at them, tossing a black bag towards them which Claire caught with ease, started as she heard the soft jingle inside. She gave Myrnin a distraught look, to which he replied with a risen eyebrow. ''Is there a problem?'' he asked in that nonchalant voice. Claire paused. ''What's in here?''

Myrnin pointed to the gun he'd armed himself with. ''And more magazines.''

Claire nodded, her chest heaving with a horrid pain. God, they were actually going to do this.

They were all going to die.


End file.
